


almost missed it

by filteredred, Fornavn



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Reverse Big Bang 2020, Aaron & Katelyn Meet the Semester After Canon, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exy, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcoholism, Limited Knowledge of Microbiology, M/M, Pining, Post canon, Sibling Bonding, Strange Fondness for Pens, cheerleading, doodling, meet ugly, referenced canonical violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/filteredred/pseuds/filteredred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fornavn/pseuds/Fornavn
Summary: After a chaotic second year at Palmetto State University, Aaron Minyard is more determined than ever to shed his past and follow his dream of becoming a doctor. He's learned the hard way to only count on himself, but finds his future unexpectedly tied to a cheerleader in his science class.
Relationships: Aaron Minyard & Andrew Minyard, Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 21
Kudos: 82
Collections: AFTG Reverse Big Bang 2020





	almost missed it

**Author's Note:**

> Story prompt and art provided by the very talented [@fornavn](https://fornavn.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> A big thank you to my betas [@fuzzballsheltiepants](https://fuzzballsheltiepants.tumblr.com/) and [@hi-raethia](https://hi-raethia.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> I've been looking for my place in the fandom for a long time; thank you to everyone who encouraged me to take a chance and cheered me on along the way.
> 
> Special Note: Aaron's doodles were planned into the story last fall, months before the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not in any way trying to make light of actual events.

Aaron Minyard double checked his schedule and entered the classroom for 8 a.m. microbiology. He chose a second row seat, among the first to arrive. The professor sat off to the side reading and mumbling to himself, facing the class but ignoring them; the TA sorted papers into stacks up front.

Faces new and familiar from science and math began filling the room. The TA held out a drop form to an unknown approaching the desk; someone stage whispered “Run, Forrest, run!” drawing nervous laughter.

The professor stood and addressed the class.

 _Finally!_ Aaron thought.

“I’m Dr. Anton Meyer, new to Palmetto University but no stranger to science…”

The TA made his way front to back, handing stacks of updated syllabi to pass down the rows. _Still warm from the copier,_ if Aaron had to guess, based on the professor’s wild hair, rumpled shirt, skewed tie and wandering speech.

Aaron half-listened, scanning the syllabus.

The professor had been rambling, _no other word for it,_ for more than 10 minutes when a flustered girl Aaron recognized as a cheerleader entered and chose an empty seat in the back.

“Welcome, newcomer! You will fit into my experiment nicely.”

Aaron absently tapped his pen against his thigh. He’d pocketed it from a jar by the register at Sweetie’s Diner. _Very smooth flow, black ink._

“…and since microbiology is in essence the study of epic warfare, survival of the fittest in its purest form,”— _get to the fucking point—“_...an experiment in randomization….everyone from the back four rows come forward and fill in the empty front seats.”

Students murmured and shifted, some gathering their belongings and heading to the front, others watching.

“Quickly,” Dr. Meyer said.

Aaron sighed and leaned away as the cheerleader perched onto the seat next to him with a flutter of loose papers and a half-zipped flowered backpack jammed full and spilling out.

The professor changed a few more seats, then smiled. “Congratulations, please introduce yourselves to your lab and final project partners.”

Talking began in earnest. Aaron watched two science nerds he liked to call Johnson and Johnson argue with the professor for splitting them up. Hands shot into the air, and the TA smirked. The professor steepled his fingers and rested them on his chin. “Marvelous,” he said.

The disaster human smiled. “Wow, this is different. I’m Katelyn Kim. Guess we’re partners.”

_Fucking marvelous._

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned to fully face Aaron, notebook and papers tumbling to the floor between them.

“I heard Meyer can be a little crazy, but he’s supposed to be a genius. I know you’re either Andrew or Aaron Minyard.”

He glared down at the mess. “Aaron. I can’t believe I’m partnered with someone who can’t make it to class on time. I need an A, and I won't carry you through this.”

He bent down to pick up her papers and froze.

“A DROP FORM?” he sneered. “Seriously? Fuck my life!”

“The school locked my account, and my advisor approved this class at the last minute. Not that it’s any of your business!” she hissed.

“Did you throw this on the ground and stomp on it for good luck?” Aaron asked, eying the torn edge and muddy sneaker print.

“Gosh, you are annoying.”

“Raise your hand if you didn’t get a new syllabus,” the TA said.

“Mind if I borrow your pen?” Katelyn asked.

“Yes, I mind, it’s my favorite one.”

“Your favorite pen is from… Rosie’s Tacos and Tapas in West Palm Beach?”

“I like how it writes.”

“Class, if you are frantically waving your hand to ask if you can change partners, the answer is no. Life is chaotic and will not cater to your preferences. In the real world, you don’t get to choose colleagues. Adapt, embrace, and overcome.”

Aaron began drawing on the drop form.

“What are you doing?”

“You planning on dropping?”

“I already said I wasn’t.”

“I’m occupying myself while you search for a pen. Are all the Vixens stereotypical airheads, or is it just you?”

“I missed breakfast to see my advisor at 7:30, some random JOCK bowled me over in the parking lot and couldn’t be bothered to help pick anything up, I just had to move seats, and now I’m stuck with a sexist pen-hoarder for a lab partner!”

“Probably couldn't see you down there,” Aaron muttered.

“A SHORT joke? You and your brother stopped growing in junior high!”

Aaron ignored the comment and returned her paper, the sneaker print now turned into a cartoon monster labeled _Bacillus anthracis,_ then rolled his eyes and pulled a pencil case from his backpack.

Cheeks blotched red, Katelyn grabbed a pen and began furiously writing.

“Is Speedy Print Company also of sentimental value?”

Aaron breathed slowly through his nose.

“No, actually. You can keep that one, my treat.”

“All right, quiet down class. These are now your permanent seat assignments. Make note of your partnerships on the attendance sheet, take out your syllabus and let’s begin.”

* * *

Life settled into a routine of classes, homework, exy practice and gym workouts with the team. By following the 5-year degree plan suggested for student athletes, Aaron’s class load was small, and he had deliberately put off some easy classes for these more intense years when he needed extra focus for math and science.

He was in calculus 2 with his teammate Neil Josten. Last year they discovered their math learning styles complemented each other and agreed to take Aaron’s remaining math classes together. Neil had been an enigma to his professors and lost letter grades by instinctively solving complex equations but being unable to show his work. They were in the same class and took pains to avoid each other, but once they started to communicate civilly Aaron’s meticulous focus on method and Neil’s natural talent with numbers earned them both As.

Without question, Neil had saved Aaron’s butt, and Andrew’s relationship with Neil made his twin as close to happy as Aaron had ever seen him. They weren’t exactly friends, but Aaron was used to being a loner. He was counting down days, putting in hours, sweat, and brain power, waiting for the time when he could stop being a nobody. He would be his own man and carve a place for himself on his own terms. Friends were not on the agenda, and he couldn’t miss something he’d never had.

* * *

The Foxes’ miraculous championship win over Edgar Allen last year had brought some big changes to the exy team. The Palmetto State athletics board practically fell over itself, sprucing up the changing rooms, and handing over money for big-ticket items like tubs for the ice baths that the team members were gingerly settling into with a groans and expletives after a grueling practice where Kevin and Neil ran them into the ground.

Aaron grabbed his MP3 player and headphones and ignored everyone, queuing up chapter 2 of his microbiology text book. He frowned and turned the volume up to drown out Nicky and Allison squabbling in the background. Noise canceling headphones were moving up the list of priority purchases.

“I hate this,” freshman striker Jack scowled. “These ice baths are stupid. No one’s hurt, what’s the point.”

“I like it,” Dale said, popping out of the water and shaking his head like a shaggy dog. “I get so hot.”

“Ah lock eet,” Jack mimicked. “Jest lock swimmin’ in mah granny’s ass-cold crick beck home in the cun-tree.”

Sheena snorted.

Renee leaned forward. “Your accent is lovely, Dale. Don’t let him bother you.”

Aaron was living for the day that bear-shaped backliner Dale snapped the snarky asshole like a twig, although bets were also running on Neil or an intoxicated Kevin throwing down first. Aaron couldn’t really see Kevin getting physical, but admitted Neil was a wild card. Nicky’s money was on Andrew, but Aaron figured he’d let Neil fight his own battles as vice captain.

“…muscle recovery, injury prevention,” Kevin was counting on his fingers. “They lower your core body temperature and reduce inflammation. The football team’s used them for years, you should be grateful the exy players are finally getting our due. I keep explaining, yet your ignorance persists. Do you think I’m in love with the sound of my own voice?”

 _Yes, Kevin._ Aaron bit back a laugh.

Jack’s face grew murderous as Allison said, “Please, for the love of everything exy ignore the twerp. No one wants to hear all that again.”

“Hey!” Jack and Kevin yelled in unison, then glared at each other.

“Sweet baby corn, I can literally feel my balls shrinking. Do you think they’re blue?” asked Nicky.

“No one thinks about balls but you,” Jack grumbled.

Aaron glanced around at his teammates and caught Neil making side-eyes at Andrew.

“Get. A. Room,” he mouthed. Andrew threw an ice cube at his head, Aaron batted it right back in his face, and Neil’s delighted laughter prompted an ice war.

“The fuck is going on in here?” Wymack growled, walking in with Raymond Jones, the timid freshman team manager trailing behind and peeking around his back.

“Team bonding, Coach,” Andrew drawled. “It was Aaron’s idea.”

“Fuck off, asshole,” Aaron replied, rising out of the 60-degree water as he reached for a warming blanket and yanked his headphones to rest around his neck. No studying to be had with the team this riled up.

“You do 20 minutes?” Wymack asked.

“Eighteen, Coach. I’m good.”

Nicky used Wymack’s distraction to lob an ice cube at Allison.

“Do you have a death wish, Hemmick?” she screeched, jumping up with water streaming down her black sports bra and spandex shorts.

Aaron’s glance was automatic, and he saw Kevin and Matt and several freshmen looking, too.

“Ouch! All you, only you forever babe,” Matt sang in falsetto, rubbing his arm, red where Dan had pinched him.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Dan said sweetly.

Aaron could admit to thinking about Allison Reynolds for two months straight when they’d first met, and jacking off to fantasies about her as often as he could in a dorm with thin walls and little privacy. Heck, more than half the team would have to admit that if they were honest, except Nicky and Andrew and ever-oblivious “I don’t swing” Neil Josten. _And possibly Renee? That mystery remains._

Now she was just a teammate with a smart mouth, a smug attitude, and the entitlement that comes from being born rich and attractive, and the allure had faded like an old newspaper left out in the sun. Even as the most classically beautiful person he’d ever met, he didn’t think much about her either way anymore.

“Nicky, thanks for volunteering to mop the floor while Raymond drains and cleans the tubs. Everybody out; blankets until you’re warmed up, then hit the showers,” Wymack said.

“Awww, Coach, no fair! I owed her one!”

“Save it for someone who cares.”

“I’ve only been in 12 minutes,” Kevin protested.

“You’ll live.”

 _I’m stuck in a time loop with idiots playing who’s the bigger asshole,_ Aaron thought.

Allison and Renee huddled close in their blankets, and Neil looked positively miserable in his oversized wet tee shirt.

“You ok, buddy?” Matt asked, patting him on the back.

“I’ll live,” Neil said, grinning at Wymack.

Aaron shook his head, grabbed a towel and slammed his locker, eager for the warmth of the shower and a few moments of sweet silence.

* * *

Raymond, Dale, and Jack were in Aaron’s freshmen-heavy P.E. class. The former stopped even nodding hello once they figured out he preferred to be ignored entirely; Jack was showing off constantly and nearly lost an arm when he draped it across Aaron’s shoulder like they were buds. He avoided him too now but sent sneering looks that had Aaron doubling down in the Foxes Asshole Jack Smackdown betting pool.

Even though P.E. was barely tolerable, Aaron was glad for the light class load. Calculus II combined with the amount of work Professor Meyer expected might literally kill him otherwise.

The third week of microbiology brought more empty chairs and more partnerships formed at Meyer’s whim. It rankled to have a large part of his grade in someone else’s hands, but he realized soon enough he had a smart, if messy, partner. Katelyn suggested meeting for coffee on campus to block out a regular schedule.

He grimaced. “Can’t I just text you?”

“I have a really cheap phone plan, and I feel like we should get to know each other a little,” she’d said.

The student union building was close to Fox Tower and her dorm and turned out to be fairly quiet during the day. He found Katelyn at a table for four that she had completely covered with stacks of books and papers.

“Oh, hey! Sorry!” she said, pulling them together into messy stacks and knocking over her nearly empty coffee. “I’ve been here for a few hours already.”

Aaron grabbed a napkin and helped her blot the spill, holding one paper up to look at closer.

“For me?” he asked, pointing to his name at the top.

“Umm. Yes? It’s just stuff about me so we can get to know each other better.”

Aaron huffed and fanned the paper in the air to dry it and settled down across from her with his coffee.

“I hope you don’t become a surgeon. You seem like the type who’d lose count of sponges and sew the patient up anyway.”

“You seem like the type to kill them with your bedside manner, so surgery would no longer be an option,” she retorted.

“Touché,” he said, glancing around. “I haven’t been in here since freshman year. That air hockey table is new, and it looks like they fixed the pool table.”

“It’s pretty empty during the day, plus I can’t have coffee in the library. And my dormmates are very social; it’s a bit of a zoo. But this really is a freshmen hangout, isn't it?” she shrugged. “Maybe because freshmen can’t have cars on campus.”

“Andrew’s had a car the entire time,” Aaron said with a raised brow.

“Mmm. I don’t know, maybe it’s an athlete perk. Do you share a car?”

Aaron snorted. “I’m not on the list of People Who Drive Andrew’s Car.”

“Oh. Are you guys not close?”

“You could say that. I don’t like begging rides, so I either go where he’s going or stay on campus.”

“Well, if you ever need to you could borrow mine,” she said.

“You met me literally weeks ago, and you’re offering me your car?”

“Well…yeah?”

Aaron handed back her paper, the coffee stain transformed into a cartoon monster labeled _Staphylococcus aureus,_ and tucked a pen behind his ear.

“Look, I don’t need friends, but since you’re dying to tell me about yourself, go ahead.”

She scowled and leaned forward. “I just thought—”

“It’s fine, whatever,” he sighed, ran a hand through his hair and leaned back. “Do you want another coffee?”

“I’ll grab it in a minute,” she said. “My roommate’s boyfriend works here and gives me free refills. Anyway, I know you’re not thrilled to be partnered with me.”

“Nothing personal,” he shrugged. “I don’t like depending on anyone. I’ve been on group projects that ended up being a team called Me Myself and I. This isn’t a joke, I need a 4.0 in my major classes to get into med school. I get that teachers randomly assign lab partners, but Meyer’s like some mad scientist using us as lab rats in some fucked up social experiment.”

Katelyn nodded. ”Ok. Just know that I’m also pre-med, here on an academic scholarship with a 4.3 gpa.”

“Honors courses?”

She waved a hand. “What matters to you is I’m a serious student. So we will get an A, even if I have to carry you.”

“Just try to keep up,” Aaron said.

Katelyn grinned, “I think I’ll manage. I’m medicinal chemistry with a psych minor. You?”

“Straight bio, undeclared minor. Possibly math. Wait, so you have an academic scholarship plus cheerleading?”

“Yeah cheerleaders don’t get much money. It’s enough so I don’t need a job to put gas in my car or do stuff. But honestly, I’m mostly studying, at practice, at games or in the gym.”

“Same,” Aaron said. “Is it rude to ask what nationality you are?”

“Is it rude that my roommates call you grumpy pen gremlin?”

Aaron saluted with two fingers. “What can I say, I’m attracted to hidden qualities.”

She put both hands on the table. “Don’t try to pretty this up. You’re a common thief.”

“I prefer the term niche collector. You can’t steal something businesses give away for free.”

“No secret Montblanc fountains hidden under your mattress?”

“One. Never ask a man you just met what’s stashed under his mattress.” Katelyn blushed and looked away. “And two, I’m a rollerball guy all the way. But yes, I have nicer pens. I like to draw.”

“So I’ve noticed,” she said dryly, crossing her arms and studying his face. “I don’t mind your question. I’m half-Korean American. My dad is some unquantifiable mix of Italian, Welsh, and Polish, my mom is Korean. I’ve had strangers walk up and ask, ‘What are you?’ Stuff like that, or lumping entire cultures together is when it gets offensive.”

Aaron nodded. “I’ve probably heard every short joke going. People are assholes. I should also mention I have a reputation for being an asshole.”

Katelyn nodded. “You do. The Vixens call you and Andrew adorably fun-sized murder twins. I’ll never hear the end of it if they see us together.”

Aaron surprised himself by laughing out loud. “For your sake, I won’t tell Andrew,” he said. “Ok, when are you free to study?”

* * *

The halftime whistle blew during a Friday night home game against Nevada. They were a solid team, but Kevin and Neil had scored 5, and the Big Horns hadn’t stood a chance during the first half with Andrew in goal.

“Why do we even have cheerleaders?” Aaron pointed to the plastic dome encircling the court. “No one can hear them.”

“Have you never watched their halftime show?” Nicky gaped. “All those pretty girls in short skirts? One questions your sexuality, cuz. Hang on. Stay right here. Don’t move.”

_Why say something once when you can say it three times?_

Nicky ran over to Coach Wymack, pointing at Aaron with exaggerated hand gestures. Coach shook his head no, then made a “whatever” motion and followed the Foxes into the locker room.

Nicky pumped his fist and ran back.

“Coach said we can skip Kevin’s halftime lecture since I pointed out we’re ahead 5-zip and the freshmen are playing first in the second half,” he said, grabbing Aaron’s arm and dragging him to the outer court.

“I just watched him not say a word to you,” Aaron said. “He probably just wanted you to shut up.”

“Yup!” Nicky bobbed his head. “There’s a method to my madness. Ok, we’re behind them, but you can also watch the jumbotron. _Go, Vixens! WOOT!”_ Nicky yelled, clapping and grinning.

The cheerleaders were linked arm-in-arm doing a kick routine accompanied by the Orange Notes pep band, then as a 90s rock song Aaron vaguely recognized blared throughout the stadium they grabbed their pompoms and spelled _LUV R Foxes,_ followed by a complex tumbling routine and a pyramid with Katelyn at the top.

“Not bad,” Aaron conceded with arms crossed.

“Not bad?! Are you blind? You know the trophy case in Fox Hall is almost all Vixens and football, right? They won the national competition two years ago.”

As the squad ran off the court, Katelyn grinned at Aaron, and her friend Marissa blew Nicky a kiss which he grabbed from the air and patted to his cheek.

“We’d better get back before Wymack signs us up for a marathon,” Nicky sighed, slinging his arm over Aaron's shoulders.

“You reek.”

“Love you too.”

* * *

Aaron and Katelyn were finishing up a three-hour study session at the campus library. Their papers were littered with drawings of cartoon viruses and germs.

“There wasn’t anything spilled on half of these,” she protested, popping them into their shared binder.

“They looked lonely,” Aaron said, rolling his shoulders. “Besides, it’s our brand now. Meyer can put a big fat A on top just by knowing it’s ours.”

“Sure, sure,” Katelyn laughed as she stretched and groaned. “We really need to double up on studying with the big test coming up.”

“My brother is dying to bang his boyfriend, so they’re spending this weekend at our house in Columbia. Nicky and Kevin will go, too, so we could use my dorm for an all-weekend marathon. If you want.”

Katelyn’s jaw dropped. “Andrew’s gay?”

“Got a problem with that?” Aaron challenged.

“What?! No! I’m just surprised. I’m actually surprised he has a relationship with another human,” Katelyn shuddered. “Do you?”

“Have a relationship with another human?”

She swatted his arm. “Do you have a problem with it?”

“Andrew’s an asshole, but he’s actually less of one now that he’s happy.” He tapped the Sally’s Tacos and Tapas pen against his knee. “I had a big problem with it at first. Like, who would want to touch another dude like that? I don’t get it,” he shrugged. “And with Andrew’s past…” His voice trailed off.

“Yeah, I know about the murder trial last year.” Katelyn nodded. “You were very brave to protect your brother like that.”

“Pfft. No. I acted on pure instinct, and Drake died too fast. He didn’t suffer like Andrew did.”

Katelyn touched his arm briefly and pulled back.

“Anyway.” Aaron reached up and rubbed his arm absently. “I guess you know all the other stuff the team went through last year. Neil Josten especially.”

“Mostly rumors, but yes,” Katelyn nodded. “I can’t believe his father was the Butcher of Baltimore! I find criminal psychology completely fascinating. I mean. What makes a person do those horrible things?”

“Yeah. I’ve had enough lessons in that to last me ten lifetimes. Anyway, when Neil was kidnapped and tortured, Andrew really lost it - I told you about his protective streak?”

Katelyn nodded.

“He choked out Kevin and went nonverbal for a few days. We all gave him a clear berth. Not even his shrink could get him talking. Then Neil came back all burned and cut up.”

Katelyn clapped her hand across her mouth.

“Uh, we don’t have to talk about this.”

She shook her head emphatically. “No, please don’t stop. It’s just…knowing the person this stuff happened to makes it so real and horrific. I don’t really know Neil, but I feel like I do.”

Aaron nodded. “I couldn’t stand the guy last year, but I get it. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I mean, my mom died in a car wreck, but no one let me see her body. At the funeral her casket was closed. Hang on, I’ve got a tissue…here.

“So, yeah, Neil came back looking like the living dead, and my brother came back to life. He was raging at the FBI for being assholes, and Neil talked him down. Andrew even went with Neil for the FBI debriefing. They couldn’t take their eyes off each other. That’s how I found out he was gay. And I was a dick about it. But things are better.” He shrugged. “I go to the shrink with Andrew now, and…things are better. And Neil is ok. We work on math together.”

“Your mom died in a car crash?” Katelyn dabbed at her eyes. “How old were you?”

“Sixteen. We never knew our dad, so Nicky took care of us. His parents wanted to, but Andrew would be in prison for their murder if that had happened. Our uncle is a super conservative preacher; he and my aunt basically tried to beat the gay out of Nicky.”

“Nicky the backliner is your cousin? But he’s so—”

“Brown?” Aaron crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

“Well, ok. Yes. Brown. And tall.”

Aaron scowled. Katelyn giggled and blew her nose.

“My aunt is Mexican, as in saved from her sins and brought directly to Columbia, South Carolina, from my uncle’s missionary trip to Mexico. And tallish.”

“Nicky also smiles all the time, Mr. Serious, and he’s got those eyelashes.”

“Eyelashes.”

“Dark and thick and gorgeous. Half my squad would trade their soul for those.” Katelyn grinned. “Wait, so Andrew and Neil, huh?”

“Yeah, keep that to yourself, they’re not really out. Although it’s fairly obvious to anyone with eyes.”

“Umm. It is so not.”

“Watch them in a game sometime.”

“They’re always yelling at each other!”

“Mmm hmm,” Aaron nodded. “In Russian so no one can understand. It’s disgusting. I’m sure Josten offers to blow him every time he blocks a shot.”

“Your brother is amazing! Neil would never get off his knees!” Katelyn flushed red. “I can’t believe I just said that. Out loud. To you.”

"I can't believe you made a sex joke."

“How am I supposed to look either of them in the face again?” she moaned.

“Ah, just ignore them like I do. It’ll keep you sane,” Aaron said. “But seriously, don’t spread that around, ok?”

“My lips are sealed,” Katelyn agreed. “And I’m really sorry you lost your mom.”

“It was a long time ago,” Aaron waved his hand. Then softer, “Thanks.”

“I’m starving. Wanna grab a bite and keep talking?”

“Ummm sure? Don’t you have someone else you’d rather spend time with?”

“Marissa and Ellie only want to talk about their boyfriends, and no one else makes intelligent conversation.”

“Did you just bash ninety percent of the Vixens?” Aaron placed a hand over his heart. “How very unsporting.”

“Truth hurts,” Katelyn shrugged.

“Hey, don’t forget your homework—wouldn’t want to miss a chance to slob all over it.”

“You’re such a jerk!” Katelyn pushed him aside playfully.

“Never denied it,” Aaron said, pushing back with a small smile.

* * *

“I can’t believe you’re skipping a Columbia weekend,” Nicky whined. “It’s tradition.”

“Too much studying to do,” Aaron said, shrugging out of his cousin’s embrace. “We can’t all be artsy fartsy majors.”

“It’s called marketing, thank you very much,” Nicky retorted.

“Yeah, so what’s the collage with cut up magazines and glitter?” Aaron asked.

“It’s an extra credit assignment about fashion in advertising,” Nicky said. “We got to pick the topic, and mine looks fabulous.”

“Mmm hmmm.”

Neil handed his bag to Andrew, who glanced at his twin and headed out the door.

“OK, we’ll be back Sunday afternoon,” he said. “I’ll probably text you a few times to keep Andrew’s mind at ease.”

“Whatever,” Aaron replied.

After they’d gone he spent a few minutes vacuuming and putting fresh sheets on Nicky’s bed, only then realizing that he’d invited a girl to spend the whole weekend with him. _It’s just Katelyn,_ he reminded himself.

She knocked on the dorm room door a short time later, peeking behind him. “Are you sure about this?” she asked. “The other guys don’t care?”

“Didn’t ask,” he said, stepping aside so she could walk in. “Allison bought the girls tickets to some fashion thing in New York, and Matt tagged along to visit his mom. I’ve trained the freshmen to stay away from me. No one’s here to care. What’s all this?”

“Oh! I brought a ton of junk food to help us stay awake!!” Katelyn said. “I need to put it down so I can take my shoes off.” She peered at the floor uncertainly.

“Ummm….just leave your socks on, I guess,” he said, taking the bags. “I live with savages.”

“I also brought you a present,” Katelyn said, pulling a package of pens from her bookbag.

“Gimme!” Aaron said.

A few hours later, Katelyn stretched and called for a break. “I’m starting to see double,” she complained.

“I’m hungry, now that you mention it,” Aaron said. “Wow, it’s late. Do you want to order pizza?”

“I thought you might like to try Korean food,” she said. “I mean, only if you want to.”

“Ok, yeah. Why not?”

“We can look online and pick stuff.”

“I trust your judgement.”

“Mmm. Do you like Spicy, Salty, Sour or Sweet?”

“Not sour,” Aaron said, “and I don’t know. Like, American spicy is ok, but Nicky says what I like is not spicy. I like to feel it, but I don’t want to cry.”

“That’s very specific,” Katelyn laughed. “Ok, you like vegetables? And you're super hungry, right?”

He nodded.

“I’ll order a bunch of different stuff. If you don’t like it, I won’t be offended. But if you lie about it, I will be. We can order a pizza instead, and I’ll take the leftovers to my roommates. Deal?”

“Sounds good.”

Soon they were seated in the kitchen with an array of delivery containers and glasses of water, plus silverware for Aaron who declined trying chopsticks in front of a pro.

“It’s a bit intimidating,” he said, “but I like what I’m smelling.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t order anything too extreme for your first time,” she said. “Ok, I think you’ll like this one. It’s _japchae._ Sweet and salty beef, veggies, and noodles with a soy sauce base. No heat.”

Aaron took a bite and nodded. “I like it. Andrew would, too. It’s uh, the noodles are chewier than I’m used to.”

Katelyn nodded. “Cellophane noodles. _Japchae_ is pretty sweet. Try it with a bite of this green onion pancake.”

She looked up to find Aaron staring. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re, uh. You’re really going to town on that japchee stuff.”

Katelyn made a strangled sound, coughed and reached for her water.

Aaron chewed an onion pancake, eyes wide.

“That’s how we eat noodles,” she said, dabbing her eyes. “I should get a fork so I don't offend your delicate sensibilities.”

“I am in awe,” he said. “I’ve never seen a girl enjoy food like that. It’s pretty much how I eat spaghetti, anyway. Please continue, it’s very entertaining.”

“Ok, I will,” she said and scooped another bunch of noodles into her mouth. “I live to entertain you.”

Aaron cleared his throat. “What’s next?”

They tried _kimbap_ , which made him wrinkle his nose, “smells fishy,” and vegetarian _bibimbap_ where he picked out the tofu.

“Not meat, not vegetable,” he pointed his fork at Katelyn. “I liked the chicken soup and barbecue beef the best,” he said, as they cleaned up.

“Typical American male,” she said.

Aaron insisted she stick her thumb in chili paste and put it at the top of an assignment, which he blotted and turned into a monster bearing an exy racquet.

 _“Bacillus clausii,”_ he said, labeling it with flourish. “These new pens are all right.”

“Did you notice there’s a red one in there?”

“I did!” he grinned. “Did I tell you some guy heard about my bacteria monsters and commissioned me to design a tattoo? Forty bucks for something that will take me 3 minutes. Rich kids.”

“You could buy more pens,” Katelyn teased.

“Ha! So many pens!”

“All right, ready for a few more hours?”

They agreed to a 2 a.m. cutoff and to studying from their own notes and textbooks for a while. Aaron settled into a beanbag with his headphones and Katelyn sat with her legs spread out on the couch.

He got up to use the bathroom, hastily swiping at the underside of the seat with bunched up toilet paper. _Of fucking course Andrew didn’t clean this._

He emerged to the sight of Katelyn standing on her head near the door with her textbook laid out in front of her. She was listening to music and didn’t see him until he crossed the room on his hands and stood upside-down in front of her.

“Oh, hey,” she said. “Are you secretly a gymnast?”

“I do all right.”

“You should come to cheer practice sometime; the girls would eat you up.” She yawned. “Just trying to get some blood flowing to my brain. I don’t know if I’ll make it ’til 2.”

“We could do something else for a while or just call it a night,” Aaron said.

“What kind of something else?”

“Can you walk on your hands?”

“Yes.”

“We could race, loser has to buy breakfast. Or we could play video games. Same bet.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she followed him in somersaulting to their feet.

“One. I’m not sure I want my hands all over this floor. Two. There’s not room for a proper race. But otherwise it would be yes to the race, no to the video games, unless for some strange reason you have Atari.”

“One. The floor’s not that bad. Two. We have soap and water. Three. We could take turns and time each other, and four…”

Aaron tucked his t-shirt into his jeans, popped back onto his hands and crossed over to the TV, flipped to his feet, then crouched and pulled out a game.

“The Atari Anthology for PS2, more than 80 classic games in one,” he drawled.

“You are so dead,” she pointed at him. “I have to pee, and then you are so, so dead.”

He grinned, “Whatever you say.”

They ended up falling asleep on the bean bags with video game theme music playing on repeat. At some point Katelyn crawled onto the couch. Aaron covered her softly with a blanket and went to bed.

The next morning he woke to the smell of coffee. He brushed his teeth and fluffed his hair a bit before stumbling into the kitchen.

“Hope it’s ok I made this,” Katelyn greeted him from her perch on the couch. She already had her text book open.

“Of course,” he mumbled. “What time is it?”

“8ish. Where are you taking me for breakfast?”

He sank down onto the other end of the couch and glared at her.

“You cheated.”

“Not true.”

“You withheld information.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“Who ever heard of a junior high Atari champion?”

“My whole school. And now you,” she said, leaning forward to clink their cups. “My dad used to take me to the arcade and we got a ton of games at yard sales. Let’s go someplace with good pancakes. You can drive.”

He shook his head. “Don’t have my license.”

“You never learned how to drive?” she gaped.

“I know how to fucking drive,” he said, scrubbing at his eyes. “I just never got my license. Mom was either wasted or sleeping, so we never went anywhere. Nicky couldn’t afford two teenage drivers on his insurance, and then Andrew got a car and never let me touch it.”

“You never say anything good about your past,” Katelyn said, cradling her cup.

“A tragic tale if ever there was one,” he yawned. “Alcoholic mother, unknown father, mystery twin I don’t know exists until I’m 13.”

“And your mom died,” Katelyn said. “What was she like?”

“Am I some project for your psych class?”

Katelyn raised a hand in surrender. “You don’t have to answer.”

“She was probably lonely, I guess. She hated her job, and when she wasn’t working she’d spend a good chunk of the day on the couch. I had to be quiet, so I read a lot. Then she started drinking heavily,” he shrugged. “Sometimes she would hit me, but it wasn’t like real child abuse where kids get beat up.”

Katelyn shook her head no. “Aaron...if she hit you, that was abuse.”

He waved a hand dismissively.

“Then Andrew came, and they were like fire and gasoline. I avoided both of them. He and I aren’t close, but I don’t mind it anymore,” he said. “I’m a loner anyway.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Katelyn sighed. “Well anyway, it’s easy enough to take the driver’s test if you want to. You would just need to brush up on your road signs and practice a little bit.”

Aaron mumbled into his coffee cup.

“Huh?”

He glared at her. “I don’t. Know how. To parallel park,” he gritted.

“Oh, that’s no problem. I’ll teach you,” she said.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“That’s true.”

“Why are you so goddam nice?” he asked.

“Why not? You deserve people being nice to you, Aaron,” she said, nudging his thigh with a flowered sock. “Wanna do it?”

“Yeah,” he said, clearing his throat. “Yes.”

* * *

“Tell Coach I’ll be right back,” Aaron called over his shoulder.

“Ok,” Neil said.

He ran to his locker, grabbed his science folder and hurried up to the stands where the Vixens were hanging out before the game started. Katelyn was sitting between Marissa and Sam, laughing and scrunching up her pompoms to make them fatter.

“Hey, Katelyn. I called your dorm and nobody answered. We decided to go to Columbia this weekend, so I can’t meet tonight or tomorrow. I need to hand this off so you can work on your part.”

The chatter stopped immediately, all eyes on them.

“Oh, ok! Have fun,” Katelyn said, taking it from him. “Any progress on the sequence analysis?”

“Yep, I did some research after I stopped in to see Professor Meyer. I asked about his worm farm. He got so warmed up talking that he slipped me hints on what to look for.”

“Ten points to Slytherin for bedside manner!”

“Oh my god, Katelyn! You guys are on the kiss cam!” Marrissa screeched.

“Oh no—I’m really sorry, Aaron.”

He glanced over his shoulder, shrugged, then grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.

“I’ll call your dorm when we get back Sunday afternoon,” he said, then hopped down and ran back to join his team on the inner court. He heard his name, but he had to go. The crowd erupted in hoots and whistles with the Vixens joining in, jumping up and down and shaking their pompoms.

Back on the outer court, Nicky slapped Aaron on the back. “Way to go, baby cuz!”

“Just concentrate on getting ready for the game,” Aaron grumbled.

“Whatever you say, Romeo, but people are gonna remember this!”

Nicky’s words were prophetic. Every time Aaron made a particularly good block, the jumbotron lit up with an animated knight engaged in a sword fight or carrying a banner with a fox paw, and the fans cheered.

“Pay attention to the game, Nicky,” Neil advised as he ran past him.

“But my cousin is famous!” Nicky said, staring in awe at the display.

* * *

That night at Eden’s Twilight, Kevin and Nicky downed their drinks and hauled off to the dance floor, but Aaron stayed back cradling a full shot glass. The remaining three sat in heavy silence for several minutes.

“Not drinking tonight?” Neil asked.

“Huh? Yeah I am,” Aaron said, lifting his glass.

Neil cleared his throat. “Right. I’m gonna get another water. Back in a few.”

Andrew’s eyes tracked him until he arrived at the bar where Roland was shaking a martini.

“Why are you having a nervous breakdown,” Andrew asked, eyes still on Neil.

“What? I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Andrew sipped his whiskey and gazed at the dance floor.

“You seem good. Content. I think I get it now. He’s your best friend.”

Andrew swirled his drink and made no reply.

Aaron took a shuddering breath. “I think I’m in love with someone.”

“The cheerleader,” Andrew said.

“Is it that obvious? I’ve only just realized it myself.” Aaron sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I kind of wanted to talk to you about it.”

“I do not care who you fuck,” Andrew said.

“What? We’re not…we haven’t…”

“Boring,” Andrew said.

“I don’t want you to hurt her. She’s not someone you need to protect me from.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I do know that. We grew up with darkness. And monsters. Most people aren’t like that. Katelyn’s not.”

“Are you asking me to break our deal?”

Aaron followed Andrew’s gaze as Neil thanked Roland and headed back to the table.

“You broke it first,” he said quietly.

“I do not care what you do.”

“Heartwarming, thanks. It probably doesn’t matter. She left me a note.”

He fished a folded paper from his pocket and tossed it to Andrew.

_Hey, Aaron!_

_Great game! Have fun this weekend, you deserve a break. I can’t study Sunday night—I’m going to a party after the football game with Kyle Johnson. Maybe this science nerd will end up with a jock boyfriend?! No one can believe the kiss cam thing—I never told them how sweet you are! Talk soon!_

_Hugs,_

_Katelyn_

“She is fond of dashes and exclamation points.”

 _“And tight ends.”_ In that moment, Aaron could literally read his twin's thoughts.

Andrew sipped his whiskey.

 _“God would you please. Shut. Up.”_ He thought back.

Andrew’s eyes tracked Neil.

_“And stop laughing.”_

Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Someone is thinking very loudly.”

“I know you.”

“You are delusional.”

Andrew folded the note and tossed it back.

“Smells like perfume.”

“Smells like her.”

“Did I miss anything exciting?” Neil asked, sitting down and uncapping the water.

“Aaron Michael has found love,” Andrew drawled, hooking his arm around the back of Neil’s chair and sliding it closer.

“Ah! The lovely Katelyn, I presume. Congratulations. So that’s why you’ve been less of a dick,” Neil said, raising his water bottle.

“He accused me of the same,” Andrew murmured against Neil’s ear, loud enough for Aaron to hear. “You’re ruining my reputation.”

Neil’s lip twitched and he picked at the water label. “Just Kevin to go and we’ll be empty nesters,” he sighed. “They grow so fast.”

Andrew pinched his arm, and Neil buried a laugh in his neck.

“Ass wipes,” Aaron muttered, downing two shots and pounding his chest with a loud belch. “Gonna find Nicky and Kevin.”

* * *

The next morning saw everyone in various stages of hung over except Neil and Andrew. Aaron heard Nicky’s excited chatter, sighed and hauled himself toward the coffee pot.

“Aaron Michael Minyard, you are in the school paper!” Nicky yelled jumping up and down, holding his phone toward Aaron’s face and pulling it back. “Dan texted me this morning. This is going on the fridge and in the family scrapbook, oh my gawd!”

“Might as well read it to us,” Neil said. “You even woke Kevin.”

The striker blinked owlishly at them, and Nicky swatted his butt.

“Get some coffee, Kev. Gather round my children! You too, Andrew. Listen to this!”

Nicky jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter and read dramatically:

_**Campus Candids: Chivalry is Not Dead!** _

_Starting exy backliner Aaron Minyard won hearts before this Friday’s home game against Virginia North when he raised Vixen Katelyn Kim’s hand to his lips as the pregame Kiss Cam zoomed in._

_“Everyone just swooned!” said fellow cheerleader Sandra White, who submitted the photo. “They’re both pre med, and they should totally get married and have incredibly smart small children together,” she gushed._

_Cheerleader Kim is a petite powerhouse at just 4 foot 10 inches, and Minyard’s 5-foot-even muscular frame stands strong against the biggest offensive players in the southeastern district of Class 1 exy._

_Friday’s crowd enthusiasm remained high as the jumbotron displayed an animated knight in armor whenever Minyard successfully blocked his mark and regained possession for Palmetto, and the entire cheerleading squad blew him a kiss before the halftime show._

_The Foxes dominated against the newly formed Cardinals 8-2, with Virginia only scoring after Palmetto Coach David Wymack deployed second string and freshmen for the second half. Despite the lack of fan favorites and high stakes action, team mascot Rocky Foxy kept the crowd engaged, donning a cape and appearing throughout the stadium kissing hands and handing out orange carnations. During the final time out the Kiss Cam displayed the flirtatious fox tapping the head umpire's shoulder, then shuffling out of the stadium, tail between his legs, as a stern finger pointed to the exit._

“That’s so cool, Aaron! Katelyn is gonna die.”

“Yeah,” Aaron said, catching his twin’s inscrutable eyes. “It’s marvelous.”

* * *

The rest of the Columbia weekend crawled by, and Aaron pretended to sleep on the drive back to avoid small talk.

He ate Matt’s cold pizza from the fridge, feeling like a pathetic loser alone in the dorm on the last night of the weekend instead of a serious student hell bent on success. Nothing was sticking in his head.

He hated that he missed Katelyn. He’d dated plenty in high school, until Andrew showed up with his death glares and threats, then had a few drunk make-out sessions at Eden’s, but falling for someone was not part of the plan. He craved a better future like lungs need air; his fucked up past a demon mocking from the shadows, but right now he couldn’t study for shit.

He finally slammed his textbook and sought his brother, the rooftop door on Fox Tower banging closed behind him.

Andrew sat tipping back a bottle of cheap vodka snatched from Kevin’s stash, lazily watching the sky turn pink and gold and burnt orange. The night was cool and quiet.

Aaron walked to the edge and peered down.

”I never come up here,” he said. ”Everything’s so small. I could pick up Boyd’s truck with two hands.”

Andrew held up the bottle in silent offering. Aaron sat and took a swig as Andrew lit a cigarette.

”Where’s Neil?”

”Helping some idiot try to learn differential equations,” Andrew replied. “Where’s the cheerleader?”

“You know where.”

Andrew tilted his head and exhaled a plume of smoke.

“You think I should go. To the party. Make a grand gesture.”

Andrew snorted and reached for the bottle.

“She wasn’t part of my plan. You know I’ve been working my ass off. I don’t have time for this shit. And if she doesn’t want me? I’ll be even more miserable. Love is the fucking worst.”

Andrew crushed his cigarette and lit another.

“But I can’t just…not even try, right? Is that it? You’re telling me to try.”

“I do not care—”

“What I do.” Aaron said with him.

Andrew looked out into the night.

“I don’t think I believe you.”

“So go,” Andrew said.

Aaron went.

* * *

The football kegger was easily triple the size of an exy team party but still tame to someone who regularly drank and danced at Eden’s. Katelyn’s familiar face smiling up at a football player hit like a kick in the gut.

“She shines, doesn’t she?” Marissa gestured lazily with her red cup and leaned against the wall. “Like she’s lit from within.”

“She does,” Aaron said. “I almost missed it.”

“Don’t screw it up, pen gremlin.”

“I won’t.”

Katelyn glanced over and cocked her head in question. He watched her tug Kyle’s arm and stand on her toes to whisper in his ear as he leaned down, then she was walking toward Aaron and he closed the distance.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” she asked, lightly touching his arm like she always did.

He put his hand over hers and held it there. Cleared his throat.

“Turns out I missed you.”

“You mean your study buddy?”

“No. Yes. All of it. I can’t stop thinking about you. It felt like half of me was missing this weekend, and I want us to be together. If you want me too, I’d like to get out of here and start kissing.”

“So the science nerd is getting a jock boyfriend?” Arms slid around waists and the party noise faded as they walked out into the cool night.

Aaron pulled her closer. “Two science nerd jocks. Seriously, this combination of brain power and physicality might lead to spontaneous combustion.”

“Mmm. I think we need to test that hypothesis.”

“Oh, we definitely do.”

* * *

The Foxes herded into the main basketball gym for the homecoming pep rally with attendance “highly encouraged” by Wymack.

“Race you to the top!” Nicky crowed, running up the bleachers.

“No fucking way,” Jack sneered. “My quads are still on fire from practice.”

“You’re clearly not stretching enough,” Kevin said, “and light exercise will loosen you up.”

“Whatever, man. I’m not climbing up there.”

Dale and Raymond hesitated, then followed Jack and the other freshmen. The rest of the Foxes climbed up to join Nicky.

“You ok up here?” Neil bumped Andrew’s arm.

Andrew gave a tight nod as he unwrapped a lollipop. “It’s not that high.”

“All right.”

“Why don’t we come to more of these? There’s a t-shirt cannon—hey up here!” Matt yelled over the music pumping from the speakers.

“Because it’s loud and annoying?” Allison asked.

“It’s a high energy MOOD! Kevin! Did you bring homework?” Nicky put his hand over his heart and gasped.

Kevin looked over his shoulder, “I’m cramming for my medieval Europe test—quiz me later?

“Of course!”

“Got another lollipop?” Renee asked. Andrew pulled 3 tootsie roll pops out of his Palmetto exy jacket. “Grape. Thanks!” She smiled and Andrew nodded, shoving the rest in his pocket.

Neil leaned over. “Cute nail polish. I like the paw prints.”

“Thank you,” Renee beamed.

“Neil gets hard for anything orange,” Andrew said.

“Depends who’s wearing it.”

“Get a room!” Allison stage whispered.

Andrew pushed Neil’s smirking face away with one hand and flipped off Allison with the other.

“My kingdom,” Dan sighed.

Next to Nicky, Aaron tapped his hands on the bleachers. The Foxes pretended to listen to the announcements for Dan’s sake and cheered for the pep band.

“Ok, this is kind of fun,” Neil said.

“Someone needs a reminder of what fun is,”Andrew said.

“Oh, any time!” Neil agreed, eyes sparkling.

Aaron jumped up and started down the bleachers with Nicky behind him.

“Aaron.”

At his brother’s voice, he stopped.

“We’ll be back soon. Nicky’s gonna take a video.”

Neil glanced at Andrew. “We’ll come with you.”

“…make some noise for Palmetto State’s very own Vix-ennnns!” the announcer said, and the crowd complied, clapping, stomping, hooting and whistling.

“Victory for the Foxes! V-I-C-” the Vixens were shouting and lifting into a pyramid formation with Katelyn at the top, “T-O-R-Y! Victory for the Foxes!”

Neil clapped politely with the crowd; Nicky yelled, “Go Vixens!” and filmed with his phone.

“Victory for the Foxes!” the Vixens continued to shout and slowly marched the pyramid to face the away side of the gym. The speakers released a thundering boom, and the main lights went black.

A distorted electric guitar and thumping beat screamed through the speakers, and Nicky yelled, “Get this party started!”

The lights came up and Aaron ran toward half court, then began a series of flips until he was dead center behind the pyramid. Katelyn did a backflip from the top and he caught her neatly. The Vixens chanted “Victory! Foxes! Victory! Foxes!” as they dismounted and formed two smaller pyramids facing the home side as Aaron and Katelyn cartwheeled in front.

“Aaron, Aaron oh my god!” Nicky yelled, bouncing in his seat.

Katelyn stood on Aaron’s shoulders and Marissa and Ellie pulled her up to the top to join the pyramids. Aaron sank into a full split, and the gym went wild.

Nicky continued videoing while jumping and screaming.

Aaron stood and turned to catch Katelyn as she jumped down, then grabbed her hand and kissed it to thundering applause.

“How ’bout another big hand for your Palmetto State Vixennnns! And their surprise guest, starting exy backliner, number 5 Aaron Minyarrrd! Hope to see you all at this weekend’s big games and all the homecoming events!”

The gym began to empty, and Aaron and Katelyn ran up to Nicky.

“Oh my god you guys that was so good!” Nicky gushed. “How did you get him to do that?”

“I asked,” Katelyn said, beaming.

Neil nudged Andrew and grinned.

“Impressive. Did Andrew know you could do that?” Neil asked.

“We took some classes at the Y until Mom got off work, although Andrew pretty much sat on the sidelines and then did it better than anyone else at home,” Aaron said.

“Sounds like late night practice,” Neil said, grinning at Andrew. “Hidden talents.” Andrew bopped his nose with the lollipop. “Rude. You know, half the school’s gonna think that was you,” Neil said, grabbing the candy before Andrew could do it again. “Mine now. You can’t control yourself.”

Andrew locked eyes with Neil as he took another lollipop from his pocket, slowly unwrapped it and stuck it in his mouth.

“Do you two ever stop eye fucking?” Aaron groaned.

“Nope,” Neil said, popping out the candy, which Andrew reclaimed. “You look like an overgrown chipmunk,” Neil grumbled, as Katelyn giggled.

“Wanna watch it now? Oops, I’m still recording. It’s not a Nicky video without a little shoe cam!”

“Absolutely, and I need a copy!” Katelyn said.

Aaron scanned the bleachers for the rest of his teammates. He easily found Renee’s rainbow hair and watched her step into an empty row waiting for the others to catch up.

Still near the top, Kevin was two steps below Allison, facing her and gesturing pointedly, arguing about who knew what. Matt grabbed Dan’s waist as she walked into Allison and steadied both girls. Aaron snorted at the familiarity of it all.

He glanced back at his brother who was pretending to ignore Neil. Andrew caught his eye and gave a slight nod. Aaron nodded back, content in the moment with this mismatched bunch he called family. He caged Katelyn in his arms, kissed the crown of her head and pulled her close.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, thank you so much [@fornavn](https://fornavn.tumblr.com/)! You were so generous with your time, and I am in awe of all the art that you made.


End file.
